Poroporoaki to Tuini Ngāwai by Hunāra Hiiroki Tāngaere in 1965

Tuini Ngāwai, a member of the Te Whānau-ā-Ruataupere sub-tribe of Ngāti Porou, was born in 1910 and died in August 1965. Her tangihanga was held at Pākieikiei Marae, Tokomaru Bay in the meeting house known as the Te Horo-Ki-Rarotonga.

Throughout her life, Tuini was an outstandingly versatile person. She was noted as a dancer, singer, entertainer, composer, poet, teacher and leader. She is especially remembered as the founder in 1939 of the Te Hokowhitu-ā-Tū Māori concert party. The group was organised to give a farewell to local soldiers who were departing overseras. Sir Apirana Ngata made a great deal of using Tuini’s concert party in later years for fundraising and encouraged Tuini to teach her songs in East Coast schools. The songs caught on everywhere, not only in Ngāti Porou territory, but throughout the country.

It is said Tuini composed over two hundred pieces altogether. The subjects chosen were those which occur in most poetry: love, death, war and the peace of God. Many others reflect subjects that are peculiarly Māori, particularly the numerous welcome songs that became a feature of  action groups in the second half of the 20^th century. Those songs follow the tradition established by Apirana Ngata, Paraire Tomoana and others in the early 1900s.

Hunaara Hiiroki Tāngaere was well-known on the East Coast. He was a member of Te Whānau-ā-Hunāra, Horoera, East Cape. A colourful and forceful personality, he was a farmer for many years  at Rangitukia and Tikitiki before his retirement. He was sixty three at the time of this speech.